4 years, 6 months, and 2 days
by hiyaitsashton
Summary: The story takes place in between SR1 and SR2. Told in first person POV.


**Troy's POV**

I laid back against the wall, the night filled with cold air. Lighting another cigarette and looking at my badge. _Was it really worth it?_ The thought echoing through my mind, in just a few days I was going to have to testify against my friends, the people I had build friendships with over the last few years. I shuddered at the thought. Being undercover isn't all it's put out to be, it's horrifying. Lin _died_ undercover and I couldn't stop thinking the same outcome would happen with me in the end. My thoughts were silenced with the ringing from my pocket.

"What's up, Dex?" I answered nonchalantly,

"I know you're a cop." I paused, hearing the words going through my mind several times before I answered.

"The fuck are you talkin' about?"

"Come on, man. Who you think you talkin' to? The tactics, the police station thing, the shitty hair cut. You got cop written all over you."

"So, w-w-what're you gonna do?" I managed to stutter out.

"Nothing."

"What?"

"I'm out, Troy. I got offered at job at Ultor. I'm dropping my flags and i'm goin' straight. I just wanna make sure we're not gonna have a problem." The call disconnected and just like that, the world stopped. I was shocked at the conversation I had just had. I sat against the wall for a long time before the silence was interrupted. My phone rang, I sighed, picking it up.

"How ya doin', Julius?"

"I was doin' better before I got arrested."

"I wanted to talk to you about that."

"I bet you do."

"Listen Julius, you've made some bad choices, but you're a good man. Let me help you out."

"What do you want?" Julius sounded aggravated at this point.

"I want the Saints to be gone, okay? Now there's two ways that can happen."

"You can arrest all of us."

"Or you guys can quit while you're ahead, all right? This is my investigation. I can miss a few collars."

"What are you saying?"

"Dex is out of the game and you're in jail. If you can convince Johnny and Skye to drop their flags, the Saints will fall apart and everyone goes home happy."

"You don't think this will work, do you?"

"You think I like arresting my friends? Convince 'em to quit and I won't have to."

"There's no way that Skye is going to stop."

"Make her understand."

"Let's say I can, how do I know i'm goin' free?"

"I've already talked to the Mayor. Hughes is willing to give you guys pardons.

"I'll see what I can do." The call disconnected.

* * *

**Skye's POV **

"I'm Richard Hughes, it is a pleasure to meet the women who handed me the election."

The older man who his hand out gesturing me to shake it, I crossed my arms.

"No need to be modest, I'm serious. There's no way I could've beaten Marshall Winslow, God rest his soul. But you made the impossible happen and for that I can't thank you enough. I mean had Winslow been the only one killed, attention would have definitely been cast on me. But after that fireworks display you pulled at his funeral, it's become abundantly clear these horrible crimes were perpetrated by the 3rd Street Saints. While before people criticized my Saints Row urban renewal plan, it is now being lauded. See, until you came along, I was displacing poor people. Now I'm destroying a hotbed of gang activity. What can I say, the public is fickle... Champagne?"

I shook my head at the man, the only other person I knew who could ramble like this Julius, quite frankly I wanted this talk to be over.

"As you get older you quickly learn that there are only two types of people in this world... race, money, gender, none of this matters. At the end of the day you're either a winner or a loser. Now, the sad truth about our situation is that in order for me to be a winner I have to level your neighborhood and salt the earth."

He looked around,

"Hold on for a moment, Steven, could you come in here?" Another man walked in, "Where was I? Oh yes, salting the earth. Now I suppose I could try to pay you off, but really what's the point? You'd just say no, or in your case, stand there and look intimidating, and we'd back right back where we started. So I figured I'd cut the middle man and get right to point."

I was tired of this man talking,

"Hey, can you speed this shit up? I wanna go to Freckle Bitch's..." I looked around, there were now several man gathering around me.

"You're going to die here, make no mistake about that... but if it's makes it any easier on you, I'll be sure to thank you in my acceptance speech. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to a party to attend." I noticed a loud beeping come abruptly then everything faded to black.

* * *

**Troy's POV**

Everything happened so fast. One second the night was silence and the next.. an explosion filled the air. I looked around, stopping in my tracks when I noticed Hughes yacht had blown up. The yacht that Skye was suppose to be on. _The yacht that Skye was on. _I swore out and quickly grabbed my phone, dialing Julius.

"What the fuck was that!?" I nearly yelled into the phone once he answered.

"It was the only way!"

"I said TALK, not set off a god damn BOMB!"

"Relax Troy. The Saints are finished. Don't try to find me." The line went dead and I trembled, smoke filled the air. I ran to the docks, seeing Skye floating in the remains of the yacht, I reached my arms out, fishing her out of the water.

"Skye!" I yelped, "Skye can you hear me?" I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed 911. I pulled her into my arms, feeling her pulse, a sigh of relief came when I saw she was still breathing. I checked her breathing every few seconds, the longer this ambulance took to get here, the less likely she was to live. I frowned looking at the burnt girl in my arms, it hurt seeing her like this, her hair nearly gone, clothes burnt to her body. I shook remember the last time I had seen her.

_It was late, everyone was celebrating the take down of the last gang, I sat in back, taking occasional sips of the tequila, it wasn't great but it's what was there. Skye made her through the crowd, walking over to me.  
_

_"I wanted to thank you." She nearly yelled over the noise.  
_

_"For what?" I raised a brow._

_"For everything." She smiled at me, "I wouldn't have been able to do it without you." She pulled me into a quick embrace before letting go, "I'm heading out though."_

_"Where are you going?" _

_"Home." She gave me a friendly push, "Keep in touch okay?" She kissed me on the cheek and walked back through the crowd._

It wasn't long until the ambulance pulled up, but to me it seemed like forever. They quickly hauled her onto a stretcher and sped off. This was a day I would never forget.


End file.
